Bahrain Names a Jewish Ambassador to the US

[mickey117]

Originally Posted by Tararamtamtam

At least, that's the image we want to give of ourselves...

Or at least, it depends of what field we can consider ourselves progressive...

But care to give more of your opinion? What arab country do you consider more progressive, and in what field? Intelectual, political, democratic, pluralistic, ect?

That's exactly my point, none of the Arab countries can be considered the most progressive, you should take each field apart and decide, here are a few:

Intellectual: Lebanon
Political: Syria
Democratic: the only democratic elections in the arab world are the lebanese municipal elections
Co-inhabitance of sects: Syria
Economically: U.A.E.
Army: Egypt
etc....

[Dalzi]

Originally Posted by Jorje

How ridiculous. The first step is for politicians and the general public to start changing their extremely negative perception of Jews. Anti-semitism is not only tolerated in our society but is also encouraged.

Allow me to inform you a little.

First, we are semites too in case you don't know. That "anti semitism" term is politicized when it's logically incorrect.

Second, whoever hears you thinks that someone is out to butcher them if they show themselves lol.

What is encouraged is anti-zionism, not anti ourselves.

[Tararamtamtam]

Taken from The TheJewsOfLebanon.org

I am sitting a few minutes walking distance from the Maghen Abraham [Synagogue in Beirut], writing this letter, but frankly I am at a loss for words. I am not sure what to say, or for that matter what to feel. The past few years have been a monumental struggle for me, a struggle for finding my identity, my roots, my past. My struggle might be unique in its details, but at its core it is all too common.

Perhaps you will not understand the feelings I am trying to convey. Perhaps words cannot do justice to these feelings to begin with. These feelings are better kept in one’s heart, but I have decided to attempt to at least give you a sense of the struggle that rages in me, even today, when I can safely say that I feel confident about my belonging and identity.

It pains me that I have not had the chance to experience the life that some of you in the audience might have experienced in the past in Lebanon. It pains me immensely that I have to pass by the Maghen Abraham every day without being able to enter, if only to view the destruction, to say a prayer (even though I do not know how to say prayers), to stand there and imagine and visualize what the 1940s, 50s, 60s were like. It pains me that some of you, in the audience, wish to deny that I - a Lebanese Jew - exist. That my family and friends exist. It pains me immensely that I have to keep my identity hidden in my own country, but also that I have to prove my Jewishness to you, my fellow Jews, my fellow countrymen and women. I do not consider myself or my family more Lebanese than you the Lebanese Jews in the audience, just because my family chose to stay in Lebanon. No, I do not espouse such elitist views, nor do I wish to impose labels on you. It is up to every individual to define and exert his or her identity based on his or her experiences and feelings. I might not know how to pray, and I might not have had the chance to go to shul / knis, but I am a product of the context and situation I was born into. I might not sound convincing, and I might not impress you with my words, but I seek neither to convince nor impress. And if it matters, I am writing this with tears in my eyes.

If you wish, you may choose to believe that I am not Jewish. You may choose to believe I am not Lebanese. You may choose to believe that I am your enemy in disguise. Go ahead and do it. But I ask you, if I am all these, so what? Is the wish to spread awareness and battle anti-Semitism, the wish to see renovated rather than destroyed Synagogues, the wish to see cemeteries taken care of, the wish to see a Jewish community living openly and being looked at as equals, an act of enmity? If all this is enmity, then I wonder, what does friendship look like? And if you would like, consider me an enemy - I have no objections, as long as you pay attention to these wishes, as long as you listen to those who have been able to reap your trust.

I have this much to say, and no more. I do not believe in throwing fancy words around, words that are void of real feelings and only scratch the surface of the struggle. I believe in expressing honest feelings, the reality of the struggle, the immense pain in my heart. The depth of this issue, its importance for me and my family, necessitate not an amalgamation of fancy words, but a reference to a set of realities that need to be addressed. In the end, I am but one person, ignore me if you will, but do not ignore the question, the issue, the problem, the “non-existent” Jewish community in Lebanon, or whatever else you want to call us.

Maghen Abraham is the symbol of our community. Every day I pass by it, I cannot help but assure myself that it will be the symbol of our renaissance. I wrote my thoughts and feelings in this letter as they came along, but I knew its conclusion from the very beginning. I cannot afford not to know it. For you, it might not be a reality you live with every day, but we are not blessed with that luxury. So I say, let the elderly revel in the nostalgia, but at least give our youth a chance to live it.

That's illustrating much of what we've been talking about for the past hour

[Ana3arabi!]

Originally Posted by Jorje

How ridiculous. The first step is for politicians and the general public to start changing their extremely negative perception of Jews. Anti-semitism is not only tolerated in our society but is also encouraged.

there is no negative perception , except in the minds of those who are convinced they are the perpetual victims . the ball is in the court of the jews , u can't expect ppl to go around & demand rights for a community if none of the members of the community are visible. even in yemen they are more visible , & yemen is known to have al qaida. i am not convinced that the jews in lebanon are persecuted & that they hide their identity bcz of their "fear" of being harmed .

[Dalzi]

Originally Posted by Ana3arabi!

there is no negative perception , except in the minds of those who are convinced they are the perpetual victims . the ball is in the court of the jews , u can't expect ppl to go around & demand rights for a community if none of the members of the community are visible. even in yemen they are more visible , & yemen is known to have al qaida. i am not convinced that the jews in lebanon are persecuted & that they hide their identity bcz of their "fear" of being harmed .

You never know... Seems that we are ghouls without knowing lol. Bas 7elwe, 3atye wahra. I'm just worried that we might end up running away from ourselves if we keep reading stuff like this! :D

[Jorje]

Allow me to inform you a little.

First, we are semites too in case you don't know. That "anti semitism" term is politicized when it's logically incorrect.

*yawn*. Go look up "antisemitism" in a dictionary. That's how the word was coined for a number of reasons which I don't want to get into. But the semantic definition of the word is pretty much "anti-Jewishness". If you don't like it, go appeal to those in charge of the English language.

Second, whoever hears you thinks that someone is out to butcher them if they show themselves lol.

What is encouraged is anti-zionism, not anti ourselves.

Really? Is that why your dear Al Manar was showing a series propagating the whole "blood libel" thingy? And then yes, it's perfectly true, a Jew will have at life at risk in Lebanon just for being a Jew. Unless he goes out day and night preaching against Israel to satisfy the likes of you that he/she is not a "traitor."

[Jorje]

the ball is in the court of the jews

Give me a break. The ball is in our sick society. Of course we can never become civilized if we can continue throwing our own problems on others (not that you're interested in liberalism or anything). If I were born a Jew in Lebanon or pretty much in any other Arab country I would also conceal my identity to save my life. The antisemitic perception is completely rampant. But then again, it's probably useless to convince you or anything.

[Ana3arabi!]

Originally Posted by Tararamtamtam

Taken from The TheJewsOfLebanon.org

That's illustrating much of what we've been talking about for the past hour

thanks for quoting . she is not saying anything about whther or not she exposes her jewishness to ppl around her , or did i miss it ?

[Dalzi]

Originally Posted by Jorje

The Syrian-produced Hezbollah TV series Al-Shatat, which ran earlier this year during Ramadan, represents a long line of Syrian blood libels. In the 20th episode of Al-Shatat, a "rabbi" states, "we want the blood of a Christian child before Passover, for the matzos." A neighborhood boy named Nathan, who looks to be about eight years old, is brought into the room, his throat is slit as he cries "Mama, Mama" and his blood is poured into a metal basin. The next scene has the rabbi wishing a "Jewish man" a good Passover and offering him matzo — "tastier and holier because it was kneaded with pure blood."

Steven Stalinsky on Blood Libel & Al-Manar on National Review Online

I'm pretty sure you watched the series, so don't act surprised.

You're pretty sure I watched the series? No, i didn't watch it and I have no clue what you're talking about. I'll make sure I watch it...

[Jorje]

Originally Posted by Dalzi

You're pretty sure I watched the series? No, i didn't watch it and I have no clue what you're talking about. I'll make sure I watch it...

OK I just assumed you don't miss anything on Al Manar.